Illini Legends, Lists and Lore | Illini men’s sports’ best seasons | Sports

Seventy-three years ago Saturday — May 31, 1952 — more than 10,000 fans jammed Ann Arbor’s Ferry Field to see one of the Big Ten’s most exciting track and field championships, witnessing Illinois’ narrow two-and-a-half-point victory over host Michigan.

Coach Leo Johnson‘s team’s winning margin wasn’t achieved until the late-finishing pole vault results were announced. In that event, UI’s Dick Coleman tied Ohio State’s Jerry Welbourn with a leap of 14 feet, 3 inches. Coleman teammates — Dick Calisch (tie for third), Dale Foster and Jim Wright (tie for fifth) — boosted Illinois’ pole vault point totals.

Other major contributions came from individual titles by Cirilo McSween (440-meter dash), Joel McNulty (120 high hurdles), Ron Mitchell (high jump), Stacey Siders (880 run) and Willie Williams (220 dash).

UI’s track’s outdoor team title was one of eight Big Ten championships won by the Illini in 1951-52. Illinois’ football, basketball, gymnastics, wrestling, fencing, baseball and indoor track teams also claimed first-place team trophies that season.

Among recent Illini men’s seasons of the last 75 years, the 2014-15 campaign also stands out. Championships were claimed by baseball, outdoor track and field, golf and tennis, while cross-country, gymnastics and indoor track all were Big Ten runners-up.

In 10 men’s championship races during the 2024-25 season, golf’s second-place finish was far and away Illinois’ highest Big Ten placing. Next best were gymnastics (fourth), wrestling (fifth) and football (tie for fifth).

Illinois’ other best single seasons by men’s teams came in 1953-54 (five conference titles) and in 1950-51 (five championships).

Illini men’s sports’ greatest seasons from the last 75 years:

• 1. 1951-52 —
  • 8 Big Ten titles among 11 sports (average standings finish of third place, 3.0)
  • 2. 2014-15 —
    • 4 titles among 10 sports (average finish of 3.30)
    • 3. 1953-54 —
      • 5 titles among 11 sports (average finish of 3.36)
      • 4. 1950-51 —
        • 5 titles among 12 sports (average finish of 3.58)
        • 5. 1986-87 —
          • 2 titles among 11 sports (average finish of 3.63)
          • 6. 1988-89 —
            • 4 titles among 11 sports (average finish of 3.82)
            • 7. 1976-77 —
              • 2 titles among 12 sports (average finish of 4.08)
              • 8. 1989-90 —
                • 1 title among 11 sports (average finish of 4.18)
                • 9. 2001-02 —
                  • 3 titles among 9 sports (average finish of 4.33)
                  • 10. 2003-04 —
                    • 3 titles among 10 sports (average finish of 4.40)

                    Illini Birthdays

                    • Saturday:
                      • Reggie Woodward, basketball (61)
                      • Sunday:
                        • Cedric Wyche II, football (18)
                        • Monday:
                          • Karson Kaiser, football (20)
                          • Tuesday:
                            • Brandon Moore, football (45)
                            • Wednesday:
                              • Cori Allen, basketball (20)
                              • Thursday:
                                • Evan Clark, baseball (23)
                                • Friday:
                                  • Paula Prentice Clifford, volleyball

By Mike Pearson, author of Illinois Legends, Lists & Lore (Third Edition available online). Get more Illini birthdays, trivia and historical tidbits daily on “X” at IlliniLegends, on Facebook at SportsLegendsListsLore, and on LinkedIn. His website is www.SportsLLL.com.

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